Space and Science BS Thread

https://twitter.com/rgvaerialphotos/status/1690440439420112896?s=46
@Pixeltim

 

So is concrete the only choice? Seems like it doesn’t react well to high pressure infernos.

 

Yeah, I’m thinking either:
1) The launch mount needs to be raise about 150-200 feet; or
2) There needs to be a trench about 150-200 feet under the mount…

 

https://x.com/nasaspaceflight/status/1690482741358243840?s=46

Historical pic ‘o the morn

 

https://x.com/scienceworld224/status/1690755092402860032?s=46

Test

 

It was probably going to get cracks with or without proximity to the OLM. Maybe more of a concern is the effect of repeating shocks to the pad under the existing plate, will it pulverize and lead to joint failures? Following the same pattern of “it wasn’t the pad that failed but the dirt compressing under it allowing the pad to fracture”. If the plate takes care of the heat why not a rubber mat underneath it? If flex is an issue design to allow for it.

 

I doubt any rubber is going to o survive 5,000 tons on top of it, let alone the heat of 33 raptors. And once that is gone the plate will collapse, crack, and need extensive repairs after each launch.

In the end though, those cracks aren't anything to worry about. They are expansion cracks which often happen with very large pours. If you look you will see them everywhere in life. They're likely only marked so they can be sealed as the area will be subjected to massive water flow which would deteriorate the concrete.

 

Yup, I’m not worried about those particular cracks. It’s common to see expansion joints in large slabs but those wouldn’t work here so cracking is inevitable. You might want to check that claim about rubber being weak and there are ways to design it for enormous loading.
Pounds per square inch divides that force quite rapidly when you have a lot of square inches to work with and the deluge reduces the energy even more. Even 20 million pounds spread over a 50’ square reduces to only 55psi and the plate is bigger than that. Because of the deluge system the heat is no longer the issue, it’s the vibration that may pulverize the concrete under the plate. In this case a tough, resilient underlayment would be more wear resistant than a hard friable one. We’ll see if it becomes a problem down the road. They’ll be learning from this one and probably had some ideas they weren’t able to include.

 

I found this deep dive into the new launch pad shower head. I learned a bunch of things I didn't know.

 

5496 exoplanets confirmed- none finding evidence of life…
https://x.com/nasaexoplanets/status/1691156568065380352?s=46

 

Thanks! I came here to post this since a bunch of you had so many questions about the concrete and the deluge.

 

Do realize sun angle/shadows can be deceiving but it is impressive what was learned from prior landings that led NASA to green light coming down over the Apennines.

 

From migrant worker to Peacock
https://x.com/spacedotcom/status/1691797557054238967?s=46

 

https://x.com/airandspace/status/1691825131855683966?s=46

 

Ooooo:
https://x.com/payloadspace/status/1691553439418048874?s=46

 

I wonder what speed he reached. In such rarified air I’ll bet he was movin’. Edit- followed the link to an eye opening read. At the end it said he reached 625.2 mph!

Finally. I’ll bet whoever wrote it thought “I thought I was done with term papers!”.

 

It looks like they’ve dug up some of the fondag around the pad in a few spots.

 

Former MOL/Apollo/early Shuttle era:
https://x.com/ase_astronauts/status/1692533092915802288?s=46

 

I wish ALL the rocket companies would reward us with media like this.

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1692610662604702138?s=20

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F31cK_SWwAAjJmA?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

 

Ahhh, came here to post that tweet!

Made me think of the bubble for the I4 mission… A traditional space corp would take years and millions of cost plus $$$$ to even think about a project like that.